County Manager Candidate Withdraws, Leaving 5 Others

TAVARES — One of the top candidates for the Lake County manager's seat has withdrawn after taking another job.

Charles Button, a former manager of Gwinnett County, Ga., notified Lake personnel officials Thursday that he was stepping out of the competition.

Button's decision leaves the county with five candidates to replace former County Manager Al Thelen. Thelen was fired Sept. 10 by a 3-2 vote of county commissioners.

Button couldn't be reached to comment on Friday. A person at his home said he wouldn't return until next week. Lake officials said Button didn't give them any details about his new job.

From the beginning of a search that attracted 336 applicants from across the nation, Button was considered an excellent manager candidate. From 1987 to May of this year, he served as an administrator, consultant and adviser in Gwinnett, the fastest growing county in the country with a population of more than 100,000.

Gwinnett County, adjacent to Atlanta, doubled in size during the 1980s. Button's experience, plus degrees in political science and business administration, made him a top pick.

''I thought he had the best credentials of the lot,'' said Bob McKee, Lake County deputy clerk of courts who sat on the county's manager search committee.

Prior to joining Gwinnett, the 40-year-old Detroit native spent much of his career as a city manager and administrator in Indianola and Storm City, both in Iowa.

Button likely would have been taking a pay cut to come to Lake. In Gwinnett, he earned $80,000. Lake is offering $60,000 to $75,000.

Lake personnel directors, who received hundreds of applications from across the nation, expressed disappointment over Button's withdrawal.